In a provocative statement on Thursday, US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on the growing trade and defence partnership between India and Russia, labeling both countries’ economies as “dead” and dismissing their bilateral dealings as irrelevant to American interests.
“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. He further criticized India’s high tariff barriers, saying, “We have done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world.”
The US President’s comments follow his announcement of a 25% tariff on Indian imports, aimed at pressuring New Delhi over its ongoing defence and energy engagements with Moscow. The new trade measures mark a significant escalation in US-India trade tensions.
Trump also targeted Russia, reiterating that the US and Russia maintain minimal economic ties. “Let’s keep it that way,” he said, while taking a personal jab at Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian President and current deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council. “Tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!”
The inflammatory remarks have drawn criticism from diplomatic circles, with analysts warning that such rhetoric could complicate Washington’s relationships with two of the world’s largest geopolitical players. India has so far not responded officially to the statement.
